Haunting To Think About
by DreadfulStar
Summary: Speed Racer  Jr  is dead, but he hasn't left yet. He wants revenge. Collab with MumblePhantomFox.
1. MPF: Is He?

It was a good day so far.

Though the sun beamed down on the academy ever so slightly more than usual in autumn, it was accompanied by a soft and gentle breeze. It was just one of those Saturdays that nobody seemed to be able to sit through, cooped up in a dorm all day. It was a perfect day for a drive.

It was only characteristic that when offered the opportunity to get on the open road, Speed had been unable to resist. That's where Speed and his brother X were now. The Mach 6 and the Shooting Star were both shooting across the desert; the yin and yang of racing, the perfect pair, the unbeatable two.

Grayish beige dust was flying up behind the two cars as the roared over the sandy road, matched in both speed and skill as they raced each other. They passed the academy several times as they looped around the same winding course they had mapped out, soaring by the grand school as fast as they could go. The track wasn't big enough to hold the pair for too long, and a lazy weekend was a golden opportunity to escape the virtual track for the real road.

Speed glanced over as the Shooting Star pulled forward on his right. His brow furrowed determinedly as X even further ahead and over in front of him, preventing him from passing him. X looked at the glossy white Mach 6 in his rear view mirror and chuckled triumphantly. When he looked back at the road, he jumped and slammed on his brakes, skidding to an abrupt halt.

A large dark shape had bounded to the middle of the road before leaping away. There was a jolt as the Mach 6 slammed into X's bumper as Speed desperately tried to avoid ramming his brother. However, the maneuver cost him as he lost control. Despite his efforts, he cried out as the car slid from the desert road and barreled sideways into a ditch. The hood was emitting a generous amount of smoke and there were dark streaks along the gravel marking where the tires had slipped.

Cautiously, X stepped out of his car and approached his brother's slowly. Almost afraid of what he might see, he peered in through the window at Speed's limp form. Pulling his eyes away from the sight, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket, dialed 911 and waited for the operator to pick up.

"I need some paramedics out at Racer Academy. Yeah… Oh no-" he spared a glance at the beat up car "take your time. I don't think he's gonna make it." He hung up without waiting for a response and pulled his brother from the wreckage. It didn't look too much like the Mach 6 anymore, and doubted anyone would recognize it. Grunting with the effort, he heaved his brother into the back seat of the Shooting Star and drove back to the academy.

Ignoring the few horrified stares he met along the way, X made his way up to Speed's dorm with his brother hefted over his shoulder. He was panting by the time he made it there and rested his brother's limp form on the bed. Connor was playing with his 'action figures' and when he finally looked up, he shrieked. X winced and put his hands over his ears to muffle the cry. Relief only came when he raced out the room, his cries fading as he dashed down the hall. Surprisingly, as he stood there looking at his brother, he felt no remorse in seeing the lack of movement in Speed's chest. His fists clenched at his sides and he turned to look at Connor's posters instead.

It wasn't long before Connor had returned, cowering behind Headmaster Spritle's shoulder, tears in his eyes. The headmaster's eyes were glazed over with grief at the sight of his nephew. Lucy looked just as if not more stricken than he did at his side. She gasped. "Speed?"

X had his back to them as Spritle examined Speed hopefully. They all held their breath as Spritle rose to his feet. He shook his bowed head and sighed. Connor instantly broke down and nearly knocked Lucy off her feet. Her lip quivered and she tried to blink back tears. Spritle pulled his attention to X, his back still turned on the scene and his fists clenched at his sides. "X, how did this happen?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. X's eyes narrowed. "He wrecked. The Mach 6 is nearly totaled in a ditch within a mile of here. Somebody should go get it," he said flatly and left the room. Spritle frowned and stared after him.

After all they had been through, it was finally done.

Speed Racer junior was dead.

~MumblePhantomFox collab


	2. DS: Funerals are for Goodbyes

He hadn't talked to anyone since the day Speed died. The days just whipped by, and all he noticed was people looking at him. Spritle wasn't to happy with him but, he had been too caught up with funeral arrangements to confront X.

Actually, all X really knew was Speed was lying inside a casket, dead. X kept his head low as the preacher, minister, whatever spoke behind his pedestal. X turned his head briefly to look at the front of the room.

Chairs were arranged in semi-circuler rows around the casket. Most of the students from Racer Academy was there, along with the teachers and Headmaster Spritle. X didn't see his dad though. (Which actually was strange, you'd expect at least Speed. Sr to come. Maybe he was too busy to, but right now X didn't care.) There were crimson velvet curtains along the front wall, and a piano near the opening in the room where there where more chairs. Along the left wall, where X was, were three couches. In the back there were several wooden rocking chairs.

X dipped his head back down again when he saw a glance of Lucy looking over at him. She was wearing a long white gown, with a black shrug. Personally, X just wore a plain tuxedo. There were a lot of people wearing tuxedos, and everyone X had seen was fancied up.

He closed his eyes and waited for it to end. Eventually when the funeral was over people took themselves up for final goodbyes and to pay their respects. X got up, too. He walked up to the casket. It was grey with fine silver trimmings. The inside was white silk. X looked at Speed's face; it was peaceful and still. People always say "Looks like they are just sleeping," or "They don't even look dead at all." But he was, he didn't look like he was sleeping, when you sleep you are breathing, and Speed wasn't! You don't normally sleep in fancy clothings, and you certainly don't sleep in a casket. X gritted his teeth at every thought and whispered a quiet goodbye, then slipped back to the side of the room where Spritle and Damien Russ were standing. X wanted to ask why Damien was here and why his father wasn't but he stayed silent.

Someone closed the casket, and the paul-bearers were beckoned to carry the casket out. X was a paul-bearer, Spritle, Damien, Aniskov, and some other people were too, but X didn't look long enough to see who. He just took hold of the rings on the side along with everyone else and carried the casket out.

Outside, a black hearse with open doors waited to consume the casket. Which it did as they loaded the casket into the hearse. X didn't linger, he walked off to his car. There was a tiny red flag on top of his car. X was the second family member in line for the procession. Lucy and Connor rode with Spritle, they hadn't asked X if they should ride with him because they both figured he'd like to be alone.

The hearse was escorted by a cop car. As the black hack slowly rolled into the street, time seemed to lapse, because now they were outside the cemetary gates (That or they put the Funeral Parlor oddly close to the cemetary.) Tall iron bars stretched above the gate with a sign bearing the cemetary name: 'Dale's Cemetary'. Though the paint was flaking on the iron and the sign wasn't exactly new, it still looked quite nice, well, for a cemetary gate.

The cars turned past a small grove of trees intertwined with headstones. They passed a few above ground graves until they came to a flat cut-off in the side of a small hill. Several headstones adorned the small section of land. A tall blue tent was set over they rectanguler hole in the ground. Railings were placed to hold up the casket in place while the final part of the funeral went on. X parked where he was supposed to, then went to the tent. The casket was placed in the railings and the real funeral began. Like inside the building, X kept his head down and waited for the end, which quickly came. The crowd collected one flower, which had been white roses, and left a hand-print on the casket.

"-And leave you hand-print so he will have part of you to remember until in heaven or paradise you meet again-" The priest babbled.

X did stay longer just enough to see the casket lowered. It was over, his brother was finally gone.

If only he knew it wasn't going to stay that way.

~DreadfulStar

* * *

><p><strong>*AN* **

**I must include that as I reread this, I decided that I should credit the local cemetary and Funeral Home are real. These were based off of actual places.**

**'If the author isn't familiar with their words,how can they write what they do not know?' ~Alexis Nunn**


	3. DS: Nightmares After You Wake Up

Everyday in the past week since the funeral, X had the same dream. It was so real at first, like he wasn't even dreaming, until he got halfway into the dream.

_Dawn was on the horizon and the sun was slowly crawling into the sky. X kept walking on until he started seeing headstone materialize around him. Trees shot out from the ground, and shrubs sprouted up. The area became a cemetary. Dale's Cemetary to be exact. He walked cautiously looking around until the ground dropped from under him. The ground had soared up into the sky, and landed neatly into a pile near the hole. But, X hadn't fell in a hole, it was a perfectly dugout grave. And X is standing on a grey casket. When he looks up he sees bright red eyes, like fire, staring into his soul. A large black dog was attached to those eyes. Its fur had wisps up smoke etching from it. At its paws the earth was singed from fire. As he reaches for the side rim of the grave to get out, a foot steps on his hand. A teenaged boy looks down at him, his hands in his tux's pockets. The boy was Speed, it was always Speed, everytime he had this dream. Speed looks down at him then in an unfathomable tone, he says "Have fun." This is a que for the dog to knock all the dirt from the grave onto X._

X bolted awake. Whenever he woke up he couldn't go to sleep again. He reached for his phone and opened it up. The phone read 11:45pm. It was late, but X knew he wouldn't get anywhere laying in his bed for the next 9 or so hours until school started. He walked down the hall and turned to walk down the stairs. X continued walking until he was in front of the door to what was the Mach Six's garage. He opened the door to a startled Connor looking up at him.

"Oh, um I didn't expect you, what are-" Connor started mumbling.

"Just shut up Connor. Why is THAT still here. I told you to destroy it completely." X nodded to the car next to Connor. Connor had restored the Mach Six almost completely since it had been wrecked.

"But the Gasless engine, and and and, but X how could I? It can still be used. Well after it gets fixed. I-I don't really know who would, cause, you have your own car and-"Connor cut off then whispered, "You wouldn't even touch this car now, even if you had to."

"I don't care Connor." X stepped into the room. He felt like he was trespassing now, because Speed used to be the one to invite him in, or give him a reason to go in there. Now it was only Connor. X trembled at bit as he started talking,"He DIED in that car. ANd you-you don't even seem to notice."

"I can redo the interrior, and the seats can be repla-"

"That's," X's shoulders dropped and he shook his head, "that's just not the point."

Connor paused before he said anything. His eyes faded a bit like he was daydreaming. Connor's head tilted down for while in , Connor jumped up. "Actually, wait, stay here I have to get something!" Then Connor rushed past X through the door. The door closed behind him.

X stared at the automobile, then slowly walked around it until he was directly infront of it. He was edgy to get any closer, like it would bite him if he dared to cross in its territory. But X scoffed at himself, that would be nonsense, no-one was in the car, and no-one would. That hit X suddenly because he didn't expect from his own thoughts the would think that way. But it was true, no-one would really ever drive that car again, and he would never see Speed race again. Maybe it was the idea of Speed never getting to race again, or the thought that he wouldn't ever see his brother near the car again, but something made him stop and think 'He's gone forever, and he won't ever be here again.

X was so caught up in thought he didn't notice a small blue trail of smoke-like flame stretch up from the driver side door. More of the blue smokey flames started to come alive and dance up from the windows. When the car started its own engine and a burst of baby blue erupted from the Mach Six, X had instinctively thought a fire had started but there was nothing on fire, those flames weren't even flames at all. The blue presence was what the ghost had orginally manifested as, but the manifestation had reached farther until it had consumed the Mach Six's entity being, and claimed it.

The flames licked up at the ceiling and started to come up from the hood of the racecar. The car started arching closer until X started to back up to avoid being hit. WIthout thinking, he had inadvertantly pinned himself to the wall. X pushed up the the wall as far as he could to put space between him and the rounded grill of his late-brother's car. The car had stopped moving forward and its wheel started to spin maddly as the car started to rock back and forth. X knew as soon as the brakes were released that car would jumped forward and crush him into the wall, probably killing him if it did. X didn't really know what it wanted, but if he did, he'd know that's what it wanted. The 'Mach Six' did want him to die. But actually it wasn't until the flames swirled out and started to curl around X did he came to realize exactly what was happening. The grill of the car was only about half a foot away from him, and if he tried to move away at all, that car would release the brakes.

Just then did the door swing open, and the engine died suddenly, illing the flames with it. Connor was looking a leather bound notebook, flipping over in his hands. When Connor looked up at the clearly shaken X, he almost dropped the book in surprise. "WHO MOVED THE- X what happened?" Connor tried to get X to reply, but he kept his eyes locked on the Mach Six and was standing as still as a statue. "X come on, and um. How did you get there?"

X slowly looked at Connor then twitched when he started to climb out from infront of the car. "So, what is that, the book," X asked, "You went to get a book?"

"Well, when you and Spritle took some stuff from Speed's side of the dormroom, you guys forgot this." He handed the book at X. X took the book and examined it. There was a long trail of scratches in the cover, leaving the leather in strips, but the claw marks stopped before the leather became disconnected. "I don't know how those marks got there, but they look like dog claws to me. I swear it hasn't been near any dogs that I know of."

"But what is this book for." X inquired starting to become less startled by the strange occurence that just took place. X took one quick glance at the car before Connor answered him

"Well it's-WAS, was Speed's journal."

X looked down at the journal and focused at the claw marks when he noticed the book looked as if it had been _scorched_ along the edges of the claw marks.

~DreadfulStar


	4. DS: Chokingly Shocking

X sat on his bed, leafing lightly through the journal. There hadn't been anything special yet in it actually. As X turned to November 2nd, 2010, Lucy slowly opened the door.

"Oh, hello." X greeted her a bit half-heartedly.

"I wanted to talk to you." Lucy said. She walked in then awkwardly closed the door on the second try. "Well, its about Speed, and I don't think..."

Lucy wandered to X and sat next to him on his bed. She glanced over at the journal. Her eyes started to trace the claw-marks, she raised one eyebrow. X wondered ifit was at the claw-marks or if it was that X had a book. He didn't think she knew it was Speed's journal.

Lucy looked up at him square into his eyes, she took a deep breath but X cut her off.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" He blurted out. Then realizing how weird that probably was X restated the comment, but differently. "I mean do you think there is any type of afterlife?"

Lucy dipped her head to the side to contemplate. A small smirk was on her face. But it faded and her face went dead serious. "With the way this world has worked out, no. I don't think some people, can live they're lives perfectly without doing anyone wrong, then bang DEAD! If they went to an afterlife that had FATE and stuff like that, why did they die?" She nodded to herself, "Actually, the whole thing is implausible, if the human soul was a concience thing, with a conceivable right and wrong, they wouldn't stay here on Earth."

X chewed the inside of his cheek thinking about the strange incident with the Mach Six. "I should tell you something." Lucy's eyes brightened up, " but you probably won't believe me." Lucy looked hurt a bit, as if he wouldn't believe him. Well, he could be saying something weird, but she wouldn't completetly shun it for not believing.

"I've been having a strange dream; I'm in a graveyard, but not at first. At first it's just a field, but headstone just sort of appear. And then I keep walking. But I fall into a dugout grave. There's a dog, and it has fiery eyes. Everything around this dog burns, and its fur was...Smoke. Well, then when I try to get out," X paused with a look fro Lucy, she seemed incredibly intriqued. "Well, when I try to get out, S...Speed steps down on my hand which makes me fall back down. He's wearing a tuxedo, like, well... Anyway. Then he says 'Have fun' before the dog knockes a bunch of dirt on me." X stopped and looked at Lucy hopefully.

"Well...sounds of YOU, but in the scenario, with well, you know. I've had a dream similar, but it was happy." Lucy blinked. X hoped she wouldn't cry, because he really didn't want to get into that. "But where would the dog come from. I mean it could come from anywhere."

X remembered what caused Speed to wreck. X had stopped because of a large black thing that had bounded into the road. It had been a dog. "The wreck!" X exclaimed. He turned to Lucy, "There isn'tsomething natural about that thing. The reason I caused Speed to wreck was because a large black dog and wound up in the road, out of nowhere. And actually, it disappeared, too."

"-Hellhound." Lucy murmured.

"And there's another thing. A few days ago, I was alone in the Mach Six's garage and it sarted smoking! Blue smoke, but it was alive." He shuddered when he remebered it curling around him. " And Connor's probably told you about it being in a different place."

"Mentioned it but didn't go into anything..."

"Well, the car started to move. It actually had me pinned against the wall! Then the tires started spinning, but the brakes were on. If the brakes had been released, I would've been crushed." X stopped.

Lucy turned her head to him and started to say something, but stopped when she saw the blue smoke. It [the smoke] had the journal open, flipping the pages wildly. X noticed it too but he started to edge away in fear. If Lucy had any disbelief about the Mach Six 'story', she'd believe this! The smoke shot up and entangled itsef around X's neck. It curled maddly and kept tightening. To X it felt like hands, hands srtangling him. Lucy saw he was in trouble but was pinned down too, but it was just an invisible force keeping her on the bed. She felt heat at her ear, but cold chills ran up her spine. 'Don't. Don't worry.' A voice said. She looked to her side to see a small blue sphere of blue hovering. She couldn't believe the sphere had just spoken to her, but it continued. 'I only want him. Its his fault.' At that moment she realized how much the voice sounded like Speed. AThe thought made her frantically turn to X, who was know white as paper and had his eyes half closed. X hadn't seemed to be fighting anymore against the smoke.

Suddenly the room, from what X could see, turned from bloody red to a solid pitch black. As he lost consciousness, Lucy saw the smoke release him, leaving him to drop to the floor.

As Lucy could feel the force leave her bod, she jumped down to X's side and checked to see if he was breathing. (Thankfully he was.) She looked up, then around quickly, scouting fro the smoke, which now had dissipated into the journal. The journal now laid still. Lucy bolted up and out the door, heading to Headmaster Spritle's office.

"HEADMASTER!" Lucy shouted into the room. Spritle looked up quickly. "X just got attacked by- and he's in his room, he's passed out from lack of oxygen..." Lucy scrambled her words.

"WHAT? Attacked by what?" He got up and followed Lucy out into the halls.

"Y-you wouldn't believe me." Lucy picked pace. Spritle couldn't believe something happened to X now. It seemed everything always happened to his family. And he was curious to why she said he wouldn't beleive her.

~DreadfulStar (Weird place to end huh?) 


	5. MPF: Welcome to Run

Slowly, X came to his senses.  
>When his eyes opened, he was forced to narrow them again. 'Why do hospitals have to be so bright?' he thought in annoyance after propping himself up on his elbow. The world spun around him and he shut his eyes tightly until the feeling passed and he was able to sit up. He felt as if he had only woken up seconds later, but the clock told him that he had been unconscious for at least three or four hours. He didn't have much time to recall what had happened before Headmaster Spritle entered the room, the look of pained worry on his face switching almost immediately to shock.<p>

X winced as his uncle rushed up and hugged him tightly before holding him out at arms length, his expression stern despite the sadness in his eyes. "You almost gave me a heart attack, X! I don't know what's going on, but I refuse to lose both you and Speed in a week."

X avoided Spritle's penetrating stare and instead focused on one of the tiles covering the floor. "I guess Lucy probably told you everything. How is she? She wasn't hurt, was she?" he croaked, his voice slightly funny after nearly getting choked to death. Spritle sighed and let go of him. "No, she's fine. And yes, she told me everything you said and what happened. She's worried about you X," he said. However, X hadn't listened to half of what he had said. Frustrated, he stood, staggering slightly, and left to room as soon as he had regained his balance. Spritle tried to persuade him to rest a bit longer, but his words had no effect.

It seemed like no time at all before X was in the headmaster's car and heading back to the academy where he was greeted with a mixture of the remaining grief from Speed's sudden death along with a new sense of weariness and suspicion in the atmosphere. Though it seemed as if exactly what had happened remained a secret, one racer dying and then another nearly getting choked to death in one week seemed like a suspicious coincidence to most.

No matter how suspicious the coincidence, X was feeling unnerved by his brother's spirit trying to kill him. He spun around as he walked in the glass doors of the academy behind his uncle, searching for any movements in the parking lot out front; he could've swore he'd seen a flash of blue and a wisp of smoke.

Dismissing his anxiety, he turned back around and headed to Connor's dorm to see if he had seen anything wrong with the Mach 6. The red-headed boy was sitting woefully on his bed, clutching his Speed Racer plush to his chest and staring at the shelves above what was once Speed's bed. They still played host to his small collection of various trophies. Nobody had the heart to take them down and after everything that was happening, X was going to try his best to avoid most of his brother's old possessions.

Connor took a while to rise out of his mournful state, and the Mach 6 certainly wasn't helping him. They went down to the garage, though X hesitated a moment at the doorway before mentally slapping himself for being such a chicken. The car wasn't smoking right then. Even so, X stood at a distance to examine it as Connor showed him the various "small features" he had added after the accident.

" and Speed designed this one himself," he was saying to the half listening X, some of his words getting caught in his throat. "I put it in for s-sentimental reasons. It's supposed to be like the belt tires, but with spikes for extra traction on dirt and ice. Here, I can show you a sketch." X was about to say something, but Connor was out of the room before he realized what he had said.

As X had dreaded, a thin blue smoke began to waft from underneath the hood. Not sure if his luck would work in his favor again, he ran to the door, biting back a yell as a small amount of the steadily thickening smoke blew over to it. It was jammed and no matter how many times he pounded on it, the door wouldn't slide open. He dashed over to the various switches as the Mach 6's engine kicked to life with a deafening roar. Within seconds, the car had backed up and was turning towards X, ready to run him over.

Thankfully, X was out the large garage door before it had even slid halfway open. His heart pounding in his chest and his breath coming in gasps, he ran for his life. As soon as the door had slid completely open, the Mach 6 was tearing after him, almost fully engulfed in a heavy blue cloud.

~MumblePhantomFox


	6. DS: When You Least Expect Something

X tried to keep running, but who could outrun a racecar? It was gaining on him fast and he was starting to loose pace. Off in the distance X could hear screeching tires. Soon X saw the Mach Five swerve up to his side.

The Mach Six was only at least 8 or so feet behind them. That was when X's foot caught on something, making X slip. In haste he grabbed the side door on the Mach Five. His father was inside the Mach Five, thankfully.

"HANG ON!" Speed Sr yelled and he dodged to the left leaving the Mach Six on the other side of the school. It wasn't long until they'd see the Mach Six reappear behind them. "Come on, hurry and climb in."

X did what he was told and climbed into the passenger side. His father looked over at him and shook his head. "X tell me all you know about that thing. Starting with the crash."

X had cold chills running through him when the Mach Six came squealing out from the building. The blue smoke reached out in arrows stopping bluntly behind them. "OK OK, Um there was a black dog and I tried to miss it and Speed tried to avoid hitting me, and and he wrecked."

"That!" Speed yelled as the hulking shape once again was infront of X, this time he wasn't driving. The creature's eyes were bleeding fire, trailing ash from its feet. It turned and snarled at them.

Speed Sr stepped on the gas and excelled faster at the creature before it disappeared. "Oh, um the Mach six has been doing...This for a few days, and the journal" X stopped."THE JOURNAL! Speed's journal, maybe there's something in it that can help. Doubt it, but maybe."

Speed Sr sighed as he looked back. It was quieter, until the Mach Six came roaring from a corner to their front. It circled them quickly before it briefly took off. "Oh god, where did it go. X what happened to explaining things? What the journal?"

"Its why I was in the hospital! Speed possessed it and tried to kill me. Dad, its not the object, its the smoke that's doing the stuff."

Speed pulled over quickly in front of the doors to the school and X jumped out for the school doors. They entered then turned to see the Mach Six stop at the door. It rolled backwards towards the garage. "X, I think it wants to kill you by any means."

"REALLY? I couldn't have _guessed_!" X said irritated, "Where were you anyway? Why weren't you at Speed's funeral?"

"There were things I got tied up with and I didn't even find out until it was too late-"

"Don't play that card, I know you work with Damien, and he was there. What were you doing."

"I can't tell you ok? And I need to tell you something important, if you sense that hound again, do NOT look at it! Just don't! And why does it want to kill you along with Speed? Oh...nevermind." Speed looked at X then took off to the dorms. X took after him.

Connor was inside the room rocking back in forth. The room was totalled. "It, I saw the blue smoke. And that was left when it did." Connor pointed at the leather bound book laying on the other bed. "Just read the latest entry, I did, its for September 29th." His face went pale and started rocking again.

"September 29th? That's today!" Speed said.

X walked cautiously to the bed and snatched up the journal. He then opened it to the newest page.

'HAVE FUN' Was written under September 29th, it was clearly Speed's handwriting. It hit X and he momentarily zoned out. The dream flashed in his head. Have fun? It wasn't X having any 'fun' it was Speed! He wanted X dead. He'd get it someday, one day. X shook his head. That's what malevolent ghosts want you to think.

The atmosphere of dread slowly, but suddenly started to dissappear as if the spirit had given up. Speed Sr. looked down at the journal. "That isn't very helpful."

"Yeah..." X said suddenly realizing even Connor was staring at him. "I'll go now... And keep and eye out for the ghost." X ran off.

X was very aware of his surroundings, he would know if it appeared again.

* * *

><p>"Wow, what hasn't it been five or so days since the ghost stuff?" Lucy asked X one day.<p>

"Yeah, I guess its all over. Well, anyway, who believes in ghosts?" X joked. Lucy rolled her eyes. They entered the Mach Six garage to get Connor. X would have to admit he still didn't feel right near the vehicle.

Connor smiled at them and got up to join them for class.

Soon after they'd finished school for the day, X walked out of the school to the school grounds. He was slightly more carefree and was thinking about class. His thoughts were interupted by a blast of cold air from behind. He turned his head quickly to see if something was behind him. He caught a blue sphere in his sight as he whipped around. The thing was gone.

'Maybe I'm overreacting a bit.' He thought.

He turned and walked past the doors of the school garages. That was at least until he walked into a patch of cold air. It wasn't until he saw which door it was that he got worried. He kept his eyes on the door, half-expecting something to come out of it when he hit someone as he continued walking. He turned his head to them to say sorry. Except, it wasn't a person, at least not fully.

A tall blue collumn of smoke stood in front of him. It started to take shape quickly but it was brief before disappearing in a wisp. You hadn't had to look long before you noticed who it was. Speed smiled at X in that second, forshadowing his next move.

The Mach Six broke through the door, missing X by a hair. He ran off but wherever he found himself, he had once again been trapped. He started to run back until a blunt force jolted him into the air.

All he could feel was the shock as he hit a brick wall, and hearing the sound of breaking bones before he was dragged into a black void of silence.

~DreadfulStar

(Oh yes, I just stopped there!)


	7. DS: For Every Minute

**I do not own Christine by Stephen King *Referenced in this chapter***

* * *

><p>The blackness faded to white, and X landed against a cold, slick floor. He opened his eyes to white. In every direction: white.<p>

X stood up easily, his body wasn't harmed at all. At least, not in this place. He looked around and suddenly he felt something behind him.

"Well hello, X!" The person said. X turned to face them. "What a pleasure."

Speed stood stiffly. He didn't move. Actually he wasn't breathing either. "You know you aren't either right now." Speed said.

"Wait you can-"

"Yes."

'Answers that.' He thought. "Wait am I not breathing here or in real life." X asked.

Speed smiled and walked around him. He didn't answer X, instead he started talking about something else. "Let me introduce you. X, this is the White Realm. It is the place in which spirit can become trapped. If they become trapped, they are able to reappear as a mirror object in the Earth Realm-"

"Earth Realm? Just say Earth. Oh and what was your little _Christine_ act of yours anyway!" X yelled at him. Speed only turned his head slightly.

"I wanted to kill you. But no, not right away, I wanted to see you here. We can only materialize in the Earth Re- well Earth for a small second. Which is too short to speak. We can however control objects, write things, or possess something briefly. We must bilocate our soul into a living realm to do this." Speed stopped. "You don't care about that do you."

X bowed his head to avoid Speed. "What did you want me here for?"

"Ohhh!" He smiled and walked farther away, but turned to face X. "Have you ever experienced true death? It's so strange. You'd think it's hurt or something like that... Actually your soul leaves the split second before you die, therefore, no pain at all! Yes, and I was a little mad to be placed here. But here we can summon the Creatures. Like Bellz, like Beelz, but Bellz. That was the little..._puppy_ you met. I mentioned we can't control dreams right? Well Creatures can. So Bellz let me in with her. In a way, I wanted you to suffer." Speed disappeared. He then spoke from behind X. "You did do this to me anyway. Well and Bellz. She was being such a brat. But you called her so you killed me."

"How did I call her, I didn't even know what she was until, like, five minutes ago!" X exclaimed.

"Oh yes its been what three or so minutes her? So that's about 30 hours in Earth Realm time. To me Its only been, I don't know, 2016 minutes here. Some horribly boring hours, which is what, two weeks in your world? 2016*10 equals 20160. There are 20160 hours in two weeks. Every minute here, is ten hours. Well, by now you must be in a hospital. Oh yeah, and you can't leave until I let you. Which is funny, the White Realm is also where comatose patients are. Anyone unconscious ends up here. But only briefly. They don't even remember it. You've been here before. I didn't get a chance to stop you from going back, so here you are again, more serious damage, longer you are here." Speed smiled menacingly at X, who was startled at Speed's behavior. This was his brother who was always happy and cheerful, and now wanted anything to cause damage and hurt X. His personality had changed, as if her wasn't even Speed.

Speed become solemn. His look faded. "I-I-I really didn't want to hurt ANYONE, just you... Well, yeah revenge would be nice. You haven't even said Sorry! And it's lonely here. It's be happier if you here too. But, no, you are alive. Seven minutes. 70 hours. Please just stay for awhile."

"NO!" X rejected the request. He started to run from Speed. Instead he ran into him again. "STOP THAT!"

"White Realm has no end you know. Wherever you go, you'll never find an end. But after you spirit finally passes Judgement, you can go to Paradise. My Judgement was that that goddamned Creature made you kill me, which means I have to kill you. She screwed up our time-line. I wasn't supposed to die. When I fix it I can go on. I was so close! But no, you only go into comatose, danggit! Oh yeah, _you_ get to go directly on! You have no Judgement task on you. Well, unless you choose to stay." Speed looked at X who in return still looked scared.

"Wait I was supposed to be the one to-" X stumbled over his own words and stopped.

Speed simply nodded. "I noticed something...Time flies faster here, doesn't it? That last conversation just took up six minutes. 76 hours. Almost three days. Weird isn't it. I know for a fact, Spritle is probably flipping out right now about you. The entire time you are out in t_hat_ world, you are here. Now, you won't remember at least 10 minutes of this. So 100 hours. That's... four something days? Plus the three you are already here for. But You aren't anywhere close. You'll be out for at least three more days. Ten days in living realm time."

X shuddered. "Speed that's-"

"-Weird. And no I will not stop doing this."

X scowled and sighed in annoyance. "You are dead and your still annoying."

"_BELLZ_?"

X heard the sound of scrapping metal. He turned around to see the beast pounding towards them. It opened its mouth again, howling. Its howl sounded like tin being sharpened on a chalkboard while sheet aluminum was being torn apart. It burst into flames. Then the hound was gone.

"Hellhounds, one of the most unpredictable Creatures. " Speed shrugged. "Eight minutes. Oh and don't worry I won't bother you too bad from now on. At least I had a chance to say this to you. Soon you won't be able to remem-"

Everything switched to black suddenly. 'So this is the ten minutes.' X thought before everything faded and he was returning to the 'Earth Realm' or living realm, whichever it was, X woke up to it.

~DreadfulStar

(Yeah I was getting desperate for an ending for this chapter.)


	8. MPF: End It Already

X woke up in the familiar bright room. At first he was afraid that he would wake up back in the 'white realm' as his brother called it. He cursed himself. That had only been a messed up dream, brought on by stress no doubt. He was back in the hospital.

He didn't even try to sit up. He just stared up at the ceiling, thinking. His back hurt, he had dreamed something about his brother that was fading quickly from his memory and he now knew what it felt like to have someone trying to kill you constantly.

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as Connor cautiously walked in, not knowing what to expect. Relief washed over his face as he saw X awake. "Oh thank goodness, everyone's so worried, you should've seen Headmaster Spritle when he found you, it was awful. Only an hour longer and you might've " Connor said, shivering as he trailed off. X sighed. "I can imagine," he murmured quietly.

Connor stayed with X for a few minutes before leaving, and came back with Lucy the days after that. On the third day, Headmaster Spritle finally visited.

He was hesitant, as if he was struggling not to panic whilst staying calm. "Connor told me you had finally awaken. Are you feeling ok?" he asked anxiously, trembling slightly. X avoided his gaze. "Fine. Nothing to worry about," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. "Oh, I'm sorry X, I never should've left you alone, it's my fault you're in here again. I thought you were a goner, I was supposed to be protecting you and Speed but I've failed, X, I'm sorry " Spritle said quickly, biting his lip. X was slightly astonished and he stared wide eyed at his uncle. He had never seen him break down, even when Speed was in danger. He didn't know what to say.

"N-No, it's not your fault," he said, knowing it wouldn't help. His uncle shook his head solemnly and sighed. "Save it, X. You and I both know that to some extent, it's true. Never mind that, the doctor says you should be out of here soon. At least that's good news. Then you can come back to the academy," he said, trailing off.

_*X had been missing from his first afternoon class. He was still trying to cope, so maybe he was just taking a rest. No big deal, he could understand. Then he learned that he wasn't in his next class. Spritle frowned. Maybe he should check on him; make sure he was ok. He knocked on the door to his nephew's dorm. "X? Are you in there?" No answer._

_He went to Connor's dorm. Connor was there in his free period, researching on the computer in the corner while Chim-Chim moped around Speed's old bed. The robot looked as if he was actually alive for a moment, trying to get over the loss of a loved one. It was a bit too quiet for the Headmaster's liking. "Connor, have you seen X? He's missed his last class," Spritle asked. Connor turned to face him. "No, but I can help you look," he answered. "He might've gone down to the garage. He goes down there more than he used to, probably polishing the Shooting Star or something."_

_So they headed down. There was a terrible feeling in Spritle's stomach. It was on the way down that they found him. There was a thin yet luminescent wisp of blue steam that quickly dissolved. Spritle paused, forcing himself to walk onwards. Sure enough, there was X, slumped against the wall, a trickle of blood running down from the corner of his mouth. It was as if Spritle's mind had been wiped; the world went entirely silent and all he could see was X's still form, the racer's chest moving ever so slightly. He was too young to be broken. Connor's voice came to him as a distant echo, or was it his own? He couldn't tell. "Oh no Oh god no, not X " it said. Pressure on his arm brought him back to find Connor clinging to him, looking just as stunned as Spritle felt._

_"Are you ok?"_

_Who was that? It sounded a bit like X, but it wasn't. It couldn't be. X was on the floor before him, surely dying. "Headmaster Spritle, can you hear me?"*_

"Uncle Spritle?" X said a bit louder, causing his Uncle to blink. "Wha-? Oh, I'm fine " he said avoiding his nephew's worried stare.

X only had to bear through two more boring days at the hospital before the doctor said he could go back to school. His back was still uncomfortably sore, but he was able to ignore it with a little effort. He was greeted with even more mixed emotions than the last time he returned from the hospital. There were rumors circulating about him hallucinating and injuring himself for attention. He wanted to smack everyone who thought so.

The first thing he did when he got back to the academy was retreat to his room. Spritle was sincerely reluctant to leave him alone, but he finally left his nephew after X insisted that for some odd reason, he knew he would be safe for a while. Shutting the door to his dorm before his uncle could change his mind, X went to lie down on his bed. He stopped as he noticed none other than Speed's journal laying open on his pillow. Even as he watched, it let out the slightest hint of blue smoke and a neat sentence seemed to write itself on the page, first in blue then fading to plain black; "I enjoyed our little chat."

X gulped and looked around the room, but the journal wasn't steaming anymore and there were no other signs of Speed's presence. He forced himself to relax.

Over the next month, X found himself growing gradually wearier. Over time, the blue smoke was popping up more and more often. At times, it was just there, watching. It was as if Speed was trying to force X into insanity, and it was almost working. Finally, he let it.

His uncle was telling him something, X didn't know what it was. He wasn't paying attention to Spritle; he was too busy trying to ignore the ever-present blue cloud billowing about the shelf on the opposite side of his room, where Speed's old journal had been stashed. He growled, startling Spritle a bit. "What's the matter X?" he asked. X shook his head and ran out of the room without a word. Spritle hurried after him, catching up with him down at the garages. X was bent over the hood of the Mach 6, deep in thought. Spritle stayed in the doorway. "X?" He cautiously stepped down into the garage.

X made up his mind and got in the car. His uncle's eyes widened in shock. "X, what are you doing?" X started the car. "What I should have done a long time ago," he said over the rumble of the engine, and sped out of the garage. Headmaster Spritle called out to him, but X was gone in seconds. He saw the car going farther away every second. Spritle quickly pulled up X's com in the garage.

"What?" X said irritably as soon as his uncle's face was pulled up on his dashboard. "I don't know what you're doing, but you need to come back! What if you're killed this time?" Spritle said desperately.

"Then maybe this could end and you could get back to your life."

Spritle jumped. X had spoken in Speed's voice, and upon a closer look, he could see a bit of blue wafting about X's shoulders. It curled around him, encouraging his every move. "Oh no No X, don't do this "

X frowned. "Sorry about this part." _'__Finally'_ He heard Speed whisper.

X gripped the steering wheel. The smoke started getting restless, jumping around him, fading and darkening. He knew Speed was getting agitated at him. Casting one last look at his uncle's face, he glanced up at the sky, watching as the few stars that were out in the darkening sky twinkle merrily. He let the wheel fall to the side, and could've sworn that as the world sharply cut off to black, he felt a flicker of grief as his uncle called out to him;  
>"X! NOOO!"<p>

~MumblePhantomFox

(We just have a habit of killing off characters don't we?)


	9. MPF: Epilogue

_*"X? X, are you there? X!"_

_No answer. Headmaster Spritle ran as fast as his legs could carry him out to the front of the school and into his own car. Driving a bit faster than he probably should have, he arrived at the area where he had lost communication. There were a few tire marks in the sand where he had veered off the road, a slightly sloping yet steep cliff face dropping off near the edge of the road. After slamming on his breaks, Spritle threw open the door and ventured to the edge of the cliff._

_The Mach 6 looked as if it had been mauled thoroughly by a rabid bear. The front end was smashed in, the doors were caved in, one of the tires was popped off, the roof was scrap metal and the silver paint job was coated with a generous amount of red dirt and dust. It had flipped and rolled down the hillside._

_Spritle dropped to his knees. "No " he said, his voice barely a whisper. He gulped and a tear ran down his cheek as he hesitantly made his way down to the trashed car. It was right side up, but there was no doubt as to X's condition. He couldn't bear it as he pried open the door and dragged his nephew's battered limp body from the car and held him close. "Good-bye, X " he whispered, allowing his tears to spill.*_

Spritle shuddered at the memory, and his brother put an arm over his shoulders. "I'm sorry," Spritle said. Speed Sr. frowned. "It wasn't your fault," he murmured reassuringly. "Nobody could've prevented this once it started, and I don't blame you." Spritle hung his head to avoid looking at his brother. He had been grief-stricken and depressed ever since X's funeral. His brother had shown up and had seemed blank and mournful at the time, but he was coping. Even so, losing both of the racer brothers in the same year was a major blow to everyone who had been close to them. Even Professor Aniskov was a bit gloomier than usual.

They walked on, through the black ivy-covered bars overlooking the cemetery and between the different headstones of others' loved ones. Finally, they found the two they were looking for. Two decorative marbles slabs, each bearing one of the racer brothers' names. Spritle didn't look at them, while Speed gently rested a neat bouquet before each. He bit his lip and returned back to Spritle's side, who had begun to sob quietly.

They both looked up as a pale light began to grow on each grave. A small stream of blue rose from Speed's grave and a similar green stream rose from X's. Spritle and Speed Sr. both gasped, watching in amazement as the smoke swirled around them before intertwining with each other as they rose into the sky and faded. Speed Sr. smiled and let out a small sigh, his blue eyes twinkling lightly. "See? They're watching over us," he said gently, nudging his brother.

"They're finally reunited."

~MumblePhantomFox

Sorry guys...it's over


End file.
